The present invention relates to label applicators, and, more particularly, to devices for applying self-adhesive labels -- commonly known as "crack--and--peel" labels -- to underlying surfaces such as envelopes or packages used in mass mailing or warehouse applications for boxes.
There are many labelers which are currently on the market. Most of these label applicators are used primarily for the price marking of goods in the retail trade, in particular, supermarkets and self-service shops. Because these applicators are designed for use with such small price labels, they are not structurally equipped to handle the needs of larger self-adhesive mail labels. (Standard mail labels are 31/2.times.15/16 inches.) For example, the size and weight of the mail labels would make them impractical to use in a standard, or even enlarged, price labeler. The weight of the mail labels would render the price labeler off-balance and too heavy to use. In addition, most price labelers operate with labels which are in a roll (see U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,008,119 and 4,369,085). Mail labels often do not come in a roll like price labels do. Instead, mail labels arrive in long, flat, pleated sheets. Consequently, the mail labels would have to be removed from their flat packaging and wound into a roll. This would be a time consuming extra step.
Typically, these price labelers require its user to apply the label with a rolling motion or require an application roller. For example, see U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,724,034 and 4,369,085. This rolling motion is impractical for use with mail labelers because the mail labels are too big and they are not in a roll. Consequently, a rolling motion would be very awkward for a mail labeler.
Present day labelers have additional drawbacks. Most of them are quite complex and have an array of printing devices and moving parts (i.e., springs, sprockets, adjustments and releases). With each of these moving parts, the likelihood of down-time due to broken parts increases. In addition, the likelihood of a paper jam increases with the complexity of the machine. Clearing a paper jam in a complex machine could be quite tiresome.
Further, clearing label jams in present day labelers is onerous because there is no clear, accessible label path. For example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,382,835 and 4,369,085, the labels are buried deep within a machine and cannot be viewed without taking the machine apart. Because there is no clear label path, a user cannot detect many potential errors, such as duplicate labels or erroneous print before the label is applied. A clear label path would allow the user to sort and reject labels as they advance through the machine.
In addition, present day labelers fail to provide its user with a transparent wiper bar. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,853,068. Like a clear label path, a transparent wiper bar would permit the user to observe duplicate labels, erroneous labels, and to sort and reject labels before the labels are applied.
Accordingly, it is the primary object of the present invention to provide an improved hand-held labeling device, for mass mailings, which has relatively few moving parts and is easy to load and use.
It is another general object to provide such a labeling device with a clear and easy-to-see label path, so that its user can sort or reject self-adhesive labels during the application process.
It is a more specific object to provide an improved hand-held labeler with a transparent wiper and guide bar, so that labels may be viewed before application.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a label applicator which does not require an application roller or a rolling motion to apply the self-adhesive labels to the surface to be labeled.
It is yet another object to provide a labeling device, commensurate with the above-listed objects, that allows labels to be applied in a gentle wiping action, rather than a convoluted rolling motion necessary with most applicators.
The above and other objects and advantages of this invention will become more readily apparent when the following description is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.